


The Red Riding Hood

by ghostmarch



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Eventual Smut, Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M, More tags will be added as the story progresses, Trans Male Character, just that the setting in particular is a rural one, kind of I guess since it's still set in a pretty modern world, trans vegeta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostmarch/pseuds/ghostmarch
Summary: The forest has many stories to tell, but few ever remain in memory as strongly as this one.
Relationships: Vegeta/Yamcha (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26





	1. Prologue: Once Upon a Time

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first venture into 1) writing Dragon Ball and 2) writing a trans male character (Vegeta). 
> 
> To avoid confusion in the prologue, here's how you can view this:
> 
> Vegeta in italic text: Xeno Vegeta  
> Vegeta in regular text: King Vegeta
> 
> Also, the Vegeta that's still a baby here is referred to as his assigned gender for the prologue. He will be referred to as "he" once Chapter 1 hits.

**I. PROLOGUE**

Somewhere that’s closest to the edge of the world, there is a forest. 

This forest isn’t like the one you know or have seen in places like Twilight Town – this forest is much larger than that. So large it is that it seems endless, as if it’s a world in itself. Indeed, when someone steps foot into this vast hinterland, it does feel like they’ve stepped into an entirely different world. 

No regular human could ever comprehend the miracles and mysteries this forest held, except for a select few that have, since the beginning of civilization, made this enchanted forest their lifeblood. They are called the Hunters – as their name implies, incredibly skilled hunters that make their living off of hunting the creatures living in these woods for survival. Some may even say they may be superhuman, in fact, for their abilities and senses are far better than any old human. They are rarely seen outside of the town where they have lived in for generations, for once you were born a Hunter, you could never leave it no matter how far you go.

Deep in these woods, there lives a witch. The townsfolk and all sentient life that depends on this forest affectionately call her Baba; she is the Witch of the Woods, and has been its sole guardian for as long as time remembers. Each time the Hunters need to hunt -- whether to feed their families or to sell their bounties to places or people that desire them – they pay a visit to Baba to gain blessing from her first. With Baba’s blessing, she opens a Path to them that leads to where they may find the most bountiful hunt they can have. In return, the Hunters only take what they needed. There is never any danger of overhunting in these parts, or hunting purely for the sake of sport, as Hunters held the sanctity of the forest with utmost respect and believe that in order for the forest to continue to thrive, they must not take more than what they needed, so as to allow the creatures to recover and replenish themselves before the next hunt.

Even now, when technological advancements that have taken the rest of the world by storm have already permeated completely into the small town of Demeter, the age-old traditions remain as strong as they have been for millennia. It is unlikely that anything worthy of note would change the face of this forest and the town that depends on it forever. 

Or so it would seem.

* * *

_Once upon a time, longer than your grandfather was born in this very town, there was a huntsman._

_This huntsman was the standard huntsman you would see often in the town of Demeter, but he was no ordinary huntsman – indeed, to call him ‘ordinary’ would have been quite the insult to his memory and his living family, for he was a Vegeta – and the very first of what would be a long line of legendary hunters that still hold this legacy until today. He was well known among the townsfolk as a huntsman that knew how to strike a creature at its most vital spots, and he knew how to deliver the killing blow swiftly and mercifully. No one knew how he got this power, but many believe that his extraordinary gift was a blessing from the forest spirits._

_Now Vegeta was always the one to lead the huntsmen of the town each hunting season; back then, hunting seasons last for a couple of weeks at a time, and when they return, they would bring bounty that’s enough to feed the town for months at a time. And every time, Vegeta would bring back the largest game he could get his hands on – not only was he swift, he was also as strong as ten regular men. And every time, the town would rejoice. He truly was the apple of the entire town’s eye, and it was easy to see why._

_Even though he was adored by the entire town, Vegeta had yet to find anyone who caught his particular eye. Even one such as himself had the desire to settle down and find someone to love, too. No man or woman in the town interested him, no matter how strong or beautiful, how handsome or graceful they were. His family grew to worry about him, and began wondering if they should intervene and find him a suitable partner with which to marry him too._

_As it turned out, they needn’t have worried. One day, as Vegeta ventured into the forest to gain blessing from the ever-benevolent Witch of the Woods, he found a curious sight._

_In his path he saw a beautiful young woman, with hair and eyes as blue as the sky above her, in a red riding hood that trailed on the forest floor. And her voice, coupled together with the heavenly melody of the harp she played, was sweeter than any nightingale Vegeta had ever heard in his life._

_Their eyes met – strong violet gazed into sky blue, and in that instant they both knew – they were each other’s soulmates._

_The spirits always knew everything that happened in the forest, and they all whispered into Baba’s ear of the two lovebirds that have met and fallen in love with each other. But Baba’s heart was full of worry, for when she gazed into their future from her crystal ball, she saw nothing but a bloody end for the both of them._

_Still, the heart knew what it wanted, and its desire to be with its destined match grew ever stronger, with every secret meeting of them both. He came to learn that her name was Bulma, and she was one of Baba’s mysterious Daughters; in fact, she was the youngest of them, having only just mastered the powers she was born with. Bulma was always an adventurous and curious young lady, and her eagerness to discover something new only further endeared her to Vegeta._

_It wouldn’t be long until Vegeta met Baba to ask for her blessing, not for a hunt, but for her daughter’s hand in marriage. Though Baba was still unsure if this union should take place, she had no heart to deny her daughter the happiness she had long enjoyed with Vegeta, and reluctantly, she said yes – but on condition that he would protect her for as long as he lived._

_“I swear it, on my life, I will protect Bulma no matter what.”_

* * *

“Congratulations, Vegeta!” Gine beamed, cleaning her blood-stained hands. “Yvaine gave birth to a healthy baby girl!”

Vegeta let out a sigh, shoulders visibly drooping in relief at the news. “Thank goodness,” he said, getting up from his chair. “I was starting to think I wouldn’t--”

Gine let out a giggle. “Oh you silly goose! Everything’s just fine; Yvaine’s a strong woman, she wouldn’t kick the bucket that easily.” Both Bardock and Gine laughed – if Vegeta wasn’t worrying about anything at all, he wouldn’t be a member of the Vegeta family; overcomplicating their thoughts ran in the family as surely as their remarkable Hunting skills. 

“You should go see her,” Bardock said, breaking their laughter. “I’m sure Yvaine wants you to share the moment with her.” 

Nodding, Vegeta made his way into their room. There, he felt his heart swelling with so much love and joy – before him, on their bed, was Yvaine. Her long, silky black hair was a mess, and she looked ungodly tired, but she was happy all the same, cradling their pride and joy in her arms. 

Yvaine looked up and gave her husband a bright smile. “There you are,” she said softly. “You didn’t make too much of a fuss outside, did you?”

Vegeta chuckled, moving to sit on the bedside closest to her. “Of course not, my dearest moon.” He peered at the swathed bundle in her arms. “She’s beautiful,” he whispered softly, eyes gazing in awe at his child. 

“She really is. She has your signature hairstyle too.” Yvaine laughed. “Do you want to hold her?” Gently, she placed the sleeping baby into Vegeta’s awaiting arms. “Be careful with her head, darling.”

Gingerly, Vegeta cradled his daughter in his arms. The baby stirred for a while, yawning, before resuming her peaceful sleep. 

At that moment, time stood still for him and his wife. There was the baby, sleeping without a care in the world, oblivious to everything around it. Someday the child would grow to be either a Hunter or perhaps venture into the outside world away from the forest and the people who lived in it, to return only when the forest calls its children home again. To share the blood of a Hunter and a Daughter of the Forest, even… it all seemed so miraculous, so perfect. 

A tiny voice from the door dissipated that magic as soon as it had appeared. “Is it here already?” the quiet voice asked. Both Yvaine and Vegeta turned to see their eldest son, Gogeta, looking at them with inquisitive eyes. Yvaine only smiled, a smile a mother reserves only to her children, and beckoned Gogeta to come over. “Meet your sister, Gogeta.”

The boy peered into his father’s arms, marvelling at the bundle before him. “She’s so tiny…”

“You’ll watch over her, won’t you Gogeta?” Vegeta asked. Gogeta nodded, beaming. 

“That’s my little starlight,” Yvaine said, hand reaching out to ruffle Gogeta’s unruly spikes. 

As the day rolled on by and more visitors poured in to see the newest addition to the Vegeta family, it felt as though everything was going to be just fine. Their baby would no doubt be yet another fine addition to its long legacy of Hunters, the townsfolk whispered, and continue on that legacy for many generations to come. 

But Vegeta, despite all of his happiness for this joyous occasion, could not help but feel as though this happiness was not to last. Not with the prophecy surrounding his child looming over its head. 

* * *

_For a time, Vegeta and Bulma lived quite happily together. The entire town of Demeter celebrated their wedding, and the feast that followed lasted for five days and five nights. Bulma was as brilliant as an alchemist as she was a wife; the townsfolk would always visit her if they needed something fixed, or a potion for a wound. It beats walking to Baba, and Baba was only too happy to allow her Daughter to take over that role for the town._

_Within a year, they had a son – a beautiful boy who was as brave as his father and brilliant as his mother. The boy showed remarkable skill even at such a young age, and by the time he had seen thirteen winters, he was already joining his father in the Hunts, when the other boys his age were still learning how to use their daggers. Not long after that, they were bestowed with a daughter that looked every bit as Bulma. No family was as perfect as theirs in the town – they were loved and adored by so many in the town that it was sure that they were the apple of Demeter’s eye._

_But that happiness was not to last._

* * *

“What do you _mean,_ your daughter needs to be married to a Lycan?” Bardock could hardly mask his astonishment. 

“Baba said it loud and clear,” Vegeta sighed. Outside, the child was playing with her brothers, only just turned 9 years old a few days ago. “The forest is dying slowly, and the spirits are mourning. She said only a union between her and a Lycan would…fix that.”

“Vegeta, I don’t think you understand the gravity of this. You know as well as I do that Lycans and Hunters don’t mix.”

Vegeta sighed again. “I know. All these years, Bardock… this prophecy plagues me. I must think of our livelihood and the forest as a whole – but at the same time, how could I subject her to such a horrible fate?”

Bardock mulled this over, before leaning back against the sofa. “You know, there’s a possibility that Baba’s prophecy might not come true. I haven’t seen Lycans around much these days. So maybe her chances of ever meeting one is zero.”

“I hope you’re right, Bardock.”

* * *

Word of the prophecy spread fast. Before long, Demeter was shaken through its very foundations – many believed that the prophecy was needed to save their forest and their only lifeline. Others believed that a union between one of their own with a sworn enemy would only bring disaster, and that such a union was sacrilegious to their core beliefs. 

Bardock believed in this prophecy more than anyone. That was why he was the first to stand against the growing mob as those who opposed it decided to storm Baba's home and drive her out. Angry Hunters gathered with their rifles and pitchforks, both sides feeling the pressure of the situation. Beside him, Vegeta stood tall, although his conviction was not as strong as his best friend's.

“Are you _insane_ ?” Bardock yelled, staring defiantly at the mob before him. “Baba was the one who gave us life! She did so much for us since our _forefathers_ stepped foot here, and this is how you're repaying her!?”

“Baba shouldn't have tried to mess with our beliefs!” a voice echoed from the mob. “Let us through Bardock!”

“Not on our watch! We won’t let you destroy what little we have of this forest!” cried a woman. “Not even if it means our lives!”

“Don’t make this any more difficult than it already is!”

“You’ll not take even _one_ step into these woods!” 

“Move aside, now!”

“Vegeta!” Bardock screamed, pushing his friend away. “Look out!!”

Suddenly amidst the growing animosity and tension, someone fired a shot. One shot was all it took. Hunter went against Hunter as both sides began exchanging shots and battled each other as one tried to prevent the other from entering the forest. In the midst of the chaos, Vegeta shook his head as he finally processed what just happened, trying to stop the bleeding from Bardock's chest. Needing to be fast, he slung his friend's arm over his shoulder. “Stay with me friend - I'll get you to safety right away! You! Cover me!” Some of the Hunters on his side provided him with some cover as Vegeta trudged through, making his way to the town’s hospital, where the children and those who cannot fight were housed. Even the town was in chaos – medics were scattered all over the place trying to help and carry anyone who was wounded. As soon as he reached the entrance to the hospital, Bardock was immediately attended to by some harried staff. They were not prepared for this. No one in this town was.

“Geta…” Bardock groaned. 

“Shut up, Bardock. Whatever you're gonna say, save it until you get to a safe place.”

“No use…losing too much…” Every word felt too painful to say, but Bardock held on. “Listen…take care of Gine…take care of my boys…”

“Vegeta!” He turned to see Gine rushing towards them. “Vegeta, Yvaine's m—oh my God!!!” Gine was almost hysterical at the sight of her husband struggling to hold on, while the doctor tried to keep him alive as much as possible waiting for help to arrive. “Bardock!!”

“Gine! He tried to protect me from being shot – but what were you going to say? What happened to Yvaine?”

“She – she went off looking for you! I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen…oh my goodness, how could this happen?” 

“Stay here with Bardock - I'll go look for Yvaine! Are the children alright!?” Gine could only nod as she held on tightly to Bardock. Vegeta then rushed outside, oblivious to the madness around him, blowing into an all-out civil war at this point. All he could think about was Yvaine. 

“Yvaine! YVAINE!!”

Something in Vegeta's heart told him to rush back to his home. Amidst the screams and explosive gunshots in the night air, amongst the maddening crowd that threatened to burn the town of Demeter to the ground, he saw it – a young man with pale skin and paler hair, his face wet with tears as he observed the chaos around him. How no one noticed him was a mystery, but as they locked eyes, the man spoke in a clear, almost ethereal voice:

“Hurry home, Vegeta, Her time is running out.” 

Instinctively Vegeta knew who he meant, and he pushed forward until he reached his home, now beginning to burn along with the other houses that unfortunately we’re caught in the fire. With urgency he broke down the door, hoping to the spirits that she wasn't there, she couldn't have been stupid enough to wait inside a burning house…

When the door fell open, the sight was enough to kill Vegeta right then and there if fate would have it. For before him, as the fire raged, there was Yvaine, lying on the ground, a bullet wound clean through her chest. 

Yvaine's time had run out.

* * *

_Vegeta hurried on back, his footsteps urgent as he raced his way towards his home. A hunter had informed him of what had happened, and here he was rushing through the forest, hoping to the Spirits that what the hunter said wasn't true._

_When he reached his home, there was already a sizeable crowd gathering, the women sobbing as the men hung their heads in sorrow. In the middle of it all was Baba, her tears silent and her face solemn. She took a look at her son in law, and shook her head._

_“Move, let me through,” Vegeta urged, pushing past the people gathering by the door._

_“Vegeta, it's best that you don’t see this—”_

_“I have to know how my family’s doing!”_

_Soon as he said it, he was at the door, hoping to at least find his family alright. But the sight was enough to fell a man, and the strong, powerful Vegeta fell to his knees for the first time that day._

_For before him, his beloved wife and children lay in a pool of their own blood, lifeless in the cold winter solstice Eve._

_And the mighty Vegeta mourned._

* * *

Baba came just in time to release a powerful spell that ceased the fighting, as the forest split open the Earth and swallowed many Hunters whole, no matter whose side they were on. The Wrath of the Forest causes the fighting to cease, but the damage was already done – if the Hunters did not die from being swallowed by the forest, they were dying from the wounds sustained from the battle. Police from the city detained any and all those who were still trying to fight, and questioned more still of the happenings of that night. 

Bardock did not survive. Vegeta could only hold on to Gine as they both mourned the loss of their beloved spouses, not knowing what to tell their children of the matter. 

Demeter was never the same after that. As the days pass, some Hunters gave up their mantle to move to the city in attempts to live a life away from Demeter itself, while others continue on, not knowing any other life aside from being a Hunter. Vegeta took his children and moved from the town center to a small home that he built himself at the edge of the forest, never making contact with anyone other than his closest friends and their families. Eventually, the events of that night were forgotten, and life in Demeter continued on, as it always does inevitably. 

But the prophecy remained, steadfast and true, and soon it will not be long until Demeter will change again. Wether it will be a good or bad change remains to be seen.


	2. The Grandson of Baba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the one known mostly as the Grandson of Baba was a quiet, unassuming man.

**CHAPTER 1: The Grandson of Baba**

_12 years later_

Demeter has always been a sleepy town with no affinity for mornings, and the day was no different. In the dew-glistened, cold 6 a.m. morning on that day, few people were already awake to ready themselves for their daily routine, mostly mothers beginning their daily chores and some of the town market’s regular merchants and customers, selling their fresh perishables. But even then, they bode their time; nothing would actually begin until at least 8 am.

It was in these conditions that Vegeta woke up, still groggy from sleeping quite poorly the night before. His bones still felt so heavy as he got up from his bed, sitting there in silence for a while before he got off it to head to the bathroom.

As he stood by the sink basin to wash his face, Vegeta shook off the lingering feeling of dread he had from the nightmare in his sleep. He had his share of bad dreams growing up, but lately they’ve stopped being straight up horrifying and started becoming more and more ominous, which unsettled him more – nightmares without a clear bogeyman were far more frightening to him. Worse still were that these dreams have been repeating themselves frequently, especially these days. He remembered that they began to lose their obvious, monstrous nature when he turned 16, and grew more and more ambiguous as he grew older. These days, however, that unsettling nature seemed to increase tenfold, leaving him with so many questions and a growing feeling of anxiety that – so far – usually dissipated as the day goes on. 

_A curtain of red will veil you from every monster that lurks in the dark._

It was with this thought that he got out of the bathroom, fresh faced and considerably more ready to begin the day. Neatly he folded the clothes he wore the night before and placed them in his laundry basket, and moved over to get dressed. After putting on some fresh clothes, he instinctively reached for the red cloak that hung neatly in his wardrobe, separate from his other coats. A final gift from his mother that died in the horrible tragedy on that night, 12 years ago. He reached for it and slung the cloak over his shoulders, pinning it in place with the large full moon brooch that came with it. Somehow, that red riding hood never failed to make him feel so much better. 

After making sure his bed was made and nothing else was left behind, he made his way downstairs to head out to town. His father and brothers wouldn’t be awake until perhaps nine or ten in the morning since it was a Sunday, and he knew nothing perks them up than some fresh toast, eggs and a hot drink. Vegeta had every detail of their daily routines memorized at this point. With this in mind, he made his way to the town of Demeter. 

The sun was beginning to rise, its rays peeking through the thick swathes of forest as he walked on by. The sight of it jogged Vegeta’s memory – yes, the Hunting season was to officially begin tomorrow, and all Hunters were to make their way to Baba’s house to gain her Blessing before the Hunt. It will last for seven days at least, and then the Feast of the Rapture will be held the night after the last Hunt. He mulled this over as he reached the town, passing by still-asleep houses and shops that were slowly beginning to open for business. Perhaps he would just visit Baba today and spend some time with her before he’d go Hunting, he hadn’t talked to his grandmother for a while and he started to worry if he was coming off as rude –

“Good morning, Vegeta!” 

Vegeta’s thoughts were chased away as soon as the voice greeted him. Startled he whirled around; his eyes wide – but quickly he eased into a friendly smile as he recognized the girl standing beside him. “Morning, Chichi,” he greeted in return, bowing his head a little. “Would it kill you to not sneak up behind me like that?”

“You’re so easy to startle!” Chichi replied, laughing. “What are you thinking about this time? You’re not one to be so easy to sneak up on unless you’re thinking about something.”

“It’s nothing, I’m just thinking about the Hunt tomorrow. You know… about what to bring home, and everything.”

Chichi beamed. “Are you excited for it?”

“Of course I am – more meat for the family, extra cash, the thrill of the hunt – what’s there to not be excited about?” Vegeta laughed. “Why, thinking about becoming a Hunter too, Chichi?” he teased, nudging her. 

It was Chichi’s turn to be flustered. She puffed up her cheeks in protest, huffing. “If I become a Hunter no one is going to help you guys manage the town when you’re away!” she retorted, turning her nose up in mock haughtiness. “We women are the backbone of this town you know! If we all become Hunters and go off hunting every season, who’s gonna keep this town running?” 

Vegeta laughed at her reaction. He knew Chichi was the _last_ person to want to become a Hunter in this town, mostly because she was scared of the forest and the creatures that dwelled in it. Of course, she wouldn’t admit that out loud, and sometimes the teasing was all in good fun. “Point taken,” he said, nudging her playfully. “So, where you’re heading off to? I’m thinking of going to the bakery and grabbing some stuff. You wanna come?” 

“Actually, I was going to go there too! Let’s walk together!” Wasting no time, Chichi linked her arm with Vegeta’s, smiling. “I need to go to the market too after this, it’d be nice to have someone along!”

And it was in this way that Vegeta spent his routine morning, arm in arm with Chichi as they spent much of the morning at the town, buying supplies for their homes for the day. Any feeling of dread and anxiety Vegeta had felt from his dreams that night quickly dissipated, as they usually do, and when he said his goodbyes to Chichi as they parted ways, he made his way back home with lighter steps, all the while whistling a rather joyful tune to himself. 

* * *

By mid-morning Vegeta had made his decision: he was going to visit Baba earlier than the supposed day tomorrow, and spend the night there so he could get a head start with the Hunt. As the family sat down to an early lunch (a simple fare of onion soup, bread and some cheese), he expressed this to his father. 

“Oh? You want to go visit your grandmother today?” the elder Vegeta asked. 

“If that’s okay with you, Papa?”

“Well, I don’t have any qualms about it,” said his father, breaking the bread in his hands. “But I do worry. Lately the other Hunters said they’ve been sighting more Lycans than usual. Of course, the Paths Baba have given them protected them from any harm, but… you can never be too careful.”

“I see,” Vegeta said, mulling this over as he silently ate. He knew the dangers of the Lycans – just a few years ago the elder Vegeta was attacked by them. The injuries sustained from that attack were grave enough to decommission him from Hunting for good as they rendered his legs paralyzed, and that was how Vegeta now took the helm of the Hunt from him. His brothers were still too young to join in, but Tarble and Cabba were nearing 16 years of age, and soon they would be joining in too, lessening the burden a little.

Burden… Vegeta felt a pang of guilt knotting in his gut at the thought. It was because of him that his father had to go through such an ordeal. If he didn’t… 

“Vegeta?”

He looked up, “Yes, Papa. Sorry.”

“You can go, but please be careful.” 

Smiling a little, Vegeta nodded. “Thank you, Papa. I will.”

At this, the normally quiet Cabba spoke up. “You should eat up. I didn’t make this soup extra hot just for you to leave it cold, you know.” The family laughed heartily at this quick quip, and returned to their lunch. 

* * *

Perhaps things might not be so bad after all, and that he was just worrying unnecessarily. But as Vegeta packed up the food he had made specifically to share with Baba for the night, he felt the dread returning again. It was a tight knot in his stomach that wouldn’t ease up no matter what, and the red riding hood he already had worn in preparation to leave, for the first time, offered little relief. 

Vegeta’s brows furrowed. Where was this anxiety even coming from? It was particularly bad today, of all things – as if something _might_ just happen. The fact that he had no idea of _what_ it could be was only making it even worse, but he had to keep this under wraps for now. 

Maybe speaking to Baba would help. The old witch always had an answer for everything, and perhaps she would know exactly what’s happening to him right now. 

“Papa, I’m leaving now,” he announced, carrying the basket filled with the food he had packed. It was nearing three in the afternoon; if he left now, he would be able to reach her little cabin within thirty minutes, plenty of time for tea. As he got to the door, he reached for his shotgun as well. Custom made for him as a gift for a successful initiation as a Hunter, it was as red as his riding hood, with silver rose patterns engraved at the barrel and recoil pad. He loved it immensely. 

“Walk safely, Vegeta!” his father called out from upstairs. “See you when the Hunt is over!”

“I will! See you!” With that final greeting, he left, ambling into the forest. It was quite windy, and his red riding hood trailed behind him as he trekked into the familiar Path that was already marked for him. 

The afternoon was pleasantly warm, a contrast to the biting cold of the morning earlier. The sun shone through the canopies of the forest, and all around Vegeta, the sound of rustling leaves and singing birds filled his senses. Walks like this were usually calming for him, and for a while, the knot in his gut was forgotten as he took in the ambience of the enchanted forest around him. He could trek in this forest forever and he would never be tired of the quiet, pleasant peace that it offered. Indeed, even now, he wasn’t feeling at all tired from the walking, even if trekking to Baba’s place alone could take up to an hour depending on the circumstances. 

He began thinking of the Hunt itself. Lately, blue dragon scales were quite the popular item. Many of the strange customers that visit Demeter on the dot after every Hunt have been clamouring for them lately, and they fetch a high price. Maybe he’d hunt down a blue dragon and score some gold and gems from them and pawn them off at the city. That was the beauty of being a resident of Demeter – one lived in between both the normal and paranormal, and the customers that usually buy the extremely exotic game the Hunters hunt were not human, yet the gold and precious gemstones they offer as currency were valuable in the human world. This was how Demeter sustained itself successfully for as long as the world remembered. And Vegeta was happy to be a part of this legacy, aside from the thrill of the Hunt itself. 

Those thoughts quickly dissipated when Vegeta heard rustling from some bushes nearby. Vegeta immediately turned to the direction of the rustling, but saw nothing. He heaved a sigh of relief. His father shouldn’t have mentioned Lycans, now he was imagining the absolute _worst_. That wasn’t good for his anxiety right now. 

“Hey there.”

Vegeta turned to look at the voice coming from beside him, and as soon as he did, it took all of his willpower not to scream. For right next to him, standing just a little too close for his comfort, was the exact thing he was so worried about – an honest to god Lycan, in the flesh, complete with large black ears and a bushy black tail. He stood a head taller than Vegeta, looking at him with large, yellow eyes. His hair was unkempt and seemed to be sticking everywhere, and he had two scars: one ran along diagonally through his right eye, and the other was a cross scar on his left cheek, just above the jaw. He was dressed as though he came from some human city: a leather jacket with a white fur trim along the hem and the collar, skinny black jeans and a pair of black boots that went up to half his shins. Around his neck was a plain black choker.

“Uh… hello?” the Lycan spoke again, tilting his head to the side, one ear raised while the other lowered at the direction he was leaning. 

“Y-you’re a Lycan,” Vegeta blurted out, still frozen in place.

The Lycan blinked in puzzlement. “Uh… yeah I am.” He touched the tip of his ears. “That’s kind of obvious isn’t it?”

“How… how did you even get here?” Vegeta asked, easing up a little, his fear now turning into annoyance. Is this Lycan toying with him? That pretend stupidity was kind of aggravating. “This is my Path. You’re not supposed to even be able to see me much less _step_ into it.”

“Your Path? Oh, the one Baba already assigned to you. Well, uh…” the Lycan rubbed the back of his head. “I don’t know. Maybe my path happened to cross yours. That’s why I found you here.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, the Paths are for Hunters only,” Vegeta snapped. Now this guy is _really_ annoying him. “There’s absolutely no way Baba would assign a Path to the likes of you!”

“W-whoa, take it easy now!” the Lycan interjected, holding his hands up. “N-no need to be angry, okay! I’m just heading to Baba’s house too, like you! I don’t want any trouble!”

“You – you just appeared out of _nowhere,_ taking me by surprise, without even so much as a ‘oh I’m sorry, did I scare you?’, and you want me to _take it easy?!_ ”

Maybe he shouldn’t be so angry at this Lycan – whose ears were already drooping – but damn it all, Vegeta was high strung right now and he could have killed this man unnecessarily. He took a deep breath. “Sorry.”

Why was he even saying sorry to this thing? 

“I-it’s okay,” the Lycan mumbled. “Sorry for startling you like that. You must have been really spooked.”

“You said you were going to Baba’s place, weren’t you?” Vegeta asked.

“Yeah, I was uh… I wanted to get her Blessing for my hunt tomorrow. Y’know, for food and all that.”

“…you need blessing from Baba, too?” 

The Lycan nodded.

Vegeta sighed. “This path is the quickest way to get to her house. If you want, you can follow me.” He gestured to his shotgun. “But you try anything funny and this gun will be the one who will do the talking.”

He could have sworn he heard the Lycan let out a tiny “eep” at the mention of his shotgun. Well, as long as the message was clear, nothing else mattered. Vegeta began to walk, the Lycan following immediately after him. 

They were already halfway there, and for a very long while, there was nothing but silence between them. The afternoon sun was beginning to wane now, signalling that dusk would come soon, and the birds were growing quieter. After this went on for what seemed like hours (but in reality, it was only about ten minutes or so), the Lycan began to talk. 

“You’re the one they said was Baba’s grandson, right?” he asked. 

Vegeta looked at him. “How did you know?”

The Lycan gestured to his red riding hood. “The whole forest has been whispering. The red hood of yours is signature clothing of Baba’s Daughters. You wearing that means you’re related to her somehow.”

“Oh.” Vegeta nodded. “My mother was one of Baba’s Daughters. What the forest heard was correct.” He paused. “And that’s all you’re getting.” 

“Well then… you wouldn’t mind at least telling me your name, would you?” the Lycan asked again. When Vegeta didn’t answer, he spoke again. “I’m Yamcha, it’s nice to –“

“I’m not gonna tell you my name.”

At this, Yamcha pouted. “Not even just a first name?”

Vegeta turned to him, eyes squinting. “You’re a Lycan. I’m a Hunter. We’ve been enemies for as long as anyone remembers. What makes you think I’d give you my name that easily? And why are you so… _easygoing_ about this?”

Yamcha pondered this for a while. “Dunno. But you didn’t shoot me on sight, so that means you don’t really see me as a threat. At least for now.” He brought his hands to rest at the back of his head. “Well, if you’re not gonna be friendly, I guess I can’t force ya. But can I at least call you Red?”

“Red?”

“Yeah. Like your riding hood.”

Vegeta thought on this for a while before shrugging. “Sure.” 

Yamcha smiled. “Thanks, Red.” Vegeta didn’t answer right away, but instead began picking up the pace. Yamcha didn’t see that his face was about to turn as red as his cloak. A _nickname,_ and that Lycan chose a _really_ good one at that. He didn’t want to admit that he liked the sound of it, not to this… this thing. 

He needn’t have to suffer for too long – within a few more steps, they had already reached their destination. At a glance, the place seemed unassuming. Baba’s cabin is more akin to a traditional home often seen in the Southeast: moss and ivy decorated the walls, which were a mix of faded red brick and wood; a single circular window dotted the front part of the wall, next to a small wooden veranda. The cabin was raised slightly by sixteen short pillars supporting it, and leading to the veranda were a set of steps made out of the same stone as the pillars. Smoke can be seen coming out of the chimney on the farthest right corner of the house, indicating that Baba was present at home. 

“Never seen a house like this before,” Yamcha quipped. 

“It’s different from the ones we have in town. Story is, Baba visited the Southeast at some point in her younger days, and loved the houses there so much that she made hers in their image,” Vegeta explained, without thinking. “You should take off your shoes by the stairs before entering. She doesn’t like getting the floors dirty.”

The Lycan blinked as he observed the Hunter take his red boots off, leaving them at the base of the stairs as he climbed up. Shaking his head, he followed suit. Well, that was the most he’s ever said to him so far. Yamcha would even go on to say he might be warming up to him just a little bit. 

Vegeta knocked on the door. “Hello? Baba?” he called out. 

“Oh, Vegeta!” a voice crooned from behind the door. “I was expecting you and your friend! Do come in – the door’s not locked!” 

Vegeta blinked, glancing at Yamcha. Friend? Ha, yeah right! Wordlessly he opened the door and stepped into the house, with Yamcha following behind. 

Baba was already at the living room, pouring hot tea from her silver teapot. She normally wouldn’t take out her fine silverware unless it was for some special occasion, so seeing her having that particular tea set laid out was frankly bizarre to Vegeta. Baba was a short, stocky woman, her age clearly shown in her wizened features. She had no brows, and it often seemed as though there was a permanent ghost of a smile haunting her lips. Her hair was still a deep, vivid purple as always, never a single white strand seen on it, and on her head was a conical witch’s hat, its form rigid and always maintained through sheer force of magic. Normally she would often be seen sitting on a large, floating crystal ball, but for now that crystal ball was resting on top of an ornate pedestal not too far from the living room, and the old witch was comfortably sitting on one of the cushions that were laid around the table on the floor. 

As she looked up at them, she gave them a smile – a mysterious one, but it still felt welcoming, as if inviting them to come to her and listen to her. Vegeta needed no further invitation. Smiling back at her, he moved to sit on one of the cushions, placing the basket on one side of it and his gun on the other. Yamcha followed suit, sitting with his legs crossed on an adjacent cushion. 

“How do you do, Baba?” Yamcha asked. 

“Just wonderful, thank you,” she answered, beaming. “My, you’re very well mannered for your first time here. Most Lycans would just be straight to the point.” 

“Well, my old man did teach me to be polite, haha,” said Yamcha, laughing sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. 

She nodded, and turned to Vegeta. “I’ve been expecting you, although I must say, it wouldn’t kill you to visit your grandmother every once in a while, you know,” Baba admonished. “I hardly ever hear from you any more these days!” 

Vegeta blushed, flustered by this sudden earful he’s getting. What she said was true though, and he regretted it. It wasn’t like he was trying to avoid his own grandmother, but sometimes life just gets in the way. “I’m sorry, Baba,” he mumbled, bowing down. “Things have been busy on my side. I didn’t mean to leave you without any word.”

“I know, my dear,” Baba replied, handing him a cup of tea. “You’ve been very busy ever since… well, the past is past.” She took a good look at him. “Those changes really did a good number on you. Look at you. Such a dashing young man you are now.” The compliment elicited a smile from Vegeta. His grandmother did have such a way with words. 

While this was happening, Yamcha had been quietly sipping his tea. It was pleasant, warm and welcoming – the same feelings he had in this house. Everything was so cozy, so… safe, for lack of a better word. It was such a contrast to the harsh life he had lived as a Lycan, and that was only further driven in by Baba’s loving banter with Vegeta. He wondered if this was what a normal family was like. 

“Yamcha. Yamcha, was it?” 

Yamcha turned to Baba. “Y-yes Baba?”

“You’re here for your Blessing, and so is Vegeta. Why don’t you stay the night?” Baba gestured to an area just a few steps away from the living area. “Feel free to use any one of the rooms. Don’t worry about the cold either.”

Vegeta’s brows furrowed. “You want him to stay?”

“Why, yes. Is that a problem?”

Vegeta was silent for a while. “No, I guess not.” Yamcha pouted. Vegeta _really_ didn’t like him all that much, did he? 

Baba said nothing, but instead made a sweeping gesture with her hand. With her magic, the teapot began to move, floating above the table and moved itself to pour more tea into their cups. “Come, my dears,” she said, smiling. “No need for such enmity. All children of the forest are welcome here, no matter what.” Another flick of her wrist, and a puff of smoke suddenly appeared on the table, revealing some colourful cupcakes when it cleared. “Don’t be shy, get to know each other for a while. I’ll go get the rooms ready for the both of you.”

She rose – or rather floated – from her seat, sauntering towards the area where the rooms are, leaving the two of them alone. Vegeta wasn’t sure what exactly was Baba’s motive, leaving him all alone with Yamcha like this. She _knew_ they were enemies, right? Do “children of the forest are all welcome here” mean he absolutely has to be chummy with this guy? 

Yamcha gingerly reached for a cupcake – wrapped in blue wrapper with blue-colored cream and blueberries on top – and took a bite. “Hey…” he began. “I know you don’t like me, so uh… you really don’t have to force yourself to be friendly with me if you don’t want to.” He looked down. “I’m kind of used to it by now anyway,” he mumbled to himself, thinking Vegeta wouldn’t hear it. 

Vegeta looked up at him. “What do you mean you’re used to it?”

Yamcha was startled by his question. “Uh – oh, you heard that? I-it’s nothing, really…” His ears drooping, he looked away, staying silent. Oh, how Vegeta _hated_ this – now he felt guilty all of a sudden. The Lycan looked so pathetic like that, and he couldn’t bear to see it a moment longer. 

“Look, I’m sorry, okay?” he said, almost snapping. “Don’t look so sad. It’s nothing personal. It’s not like I didn’t have a reason to not trust you.” 

“Reason…being?”

Vegeta grimaced. “My father was attacked by your kind when I was still a kid.” He took a gulp of his tea. “It really… put my family into hard times. So – so don’t blame me for being like this.”

Yamcha blinked. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That must have been really hard on you.” That caught Vegeta off-guard – he was expecting this Lycan to retort back with something along the lines of “that has nothing to do with me” or similar, instead he was… apologizing? For what? He wasn’t the one who caused his family any harm. 

Maybe he was being stupid to be so harsh on someone who had nothing to do with the tragedy that befell his family. 

“Don’t be,” Vegeta replied, his words almost a mumble. “I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t be blaming you for something you didn’t do.”

“But you still suffered from what my people did, Red,” said Yamcha. “I’m really sorry on behalf of them. You shouldn’t have to have to deal with that kind of thing.”

“Can we drop this? Also just call me Vegeta.”

Yamcha looked up. “Sorry?”

“I said my name is Vegeta. Now can we _please_ drop the subject? I wasn’t going to tell you something that personal, but I can’t stand looking at how sad you were so –"

“That’s such a nice name!” Yamcha said, beaming. His black tail was wagging happily. “Is it okay if I call you Geets?”

“No! Vegeta’s fine! Don’t call me Geets unless I say it’s okay!”

“Okay, Vegeta! Thank you!”

As the ice broke between the two of them, they didn’t notice Baba peering from the curtains that divided the living area from the rooms. There was a wide smile on her face and a knowing gleam in her eye as she quietly watched them both beginning to get to know each other. Any worries that she had in the beginning were now gone, and she had renewed faith in her old heart. 

These two were going to be just fine. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter so far! Trying to format the artwork in line with AO3's text editor is a challenge and a half. But I hope you enjoyed it! I will continue to keep doing these little illustrations together with the story as much as I can.


	3. Red Riding Hood and the Wolf

**CHAPTER II: RED RIDING HOOD AND THE WOLF**

The rest of the day passed without much incident. The food Vegeta had brought with him turned out to be enough for three people, so Yamcha joined them for dinner quite happily. Over dinner, they made small talk – Yamcha did most of the talking, detailing about his life and his background story to a very interested Baba. Vegeta said very little, only answering when Baba addressed him, and adding nothing much to the conversation. The Lycan was very excited about things. It was almost as if he was actually happy to have made a friend in Vegeta.

If he could even accept it.

Vegeta was still very wary about him, though he must admit his anger and resentment toward Yamcha had lessened considerably, perhaps because he realized the Lycan practically wore his heart on his sleeve. It was very easy to see what he was feeling, not just because his large tail was wagging up a storm. The way he talked, the way he carried himself, it was quite clear to Vegeta that he was probably the first real friend he ever made.

He could stand to be a little kinder to this guy, just this once.

When the dishes were washed and the table cleared, Yamcha excused himself, citing exhaustion as a reason to clock in early for the night. He went to the room Baba had given to him, leaving the witch and her grandson alone to spend some time together.

Vegeta and Baba did not share very much, simply just talking about Vegeta's life and how his family was doing. Shortly after, it was his turn to turn in for the night. Kissing his grandmother's hand goodnight, he made his way to his own room.

The night was bright, an indication that a full moon was up in the sky. Vegeta opened the window next to the bed to gaze at the moon above. It was a very clear night, with the Milky Way clearly visible from where he was looking. The moon was high above the sky, a full, gibbous moon at that, and larger than usual. He let out a dreamy sigh. He loved looking at the moon, even though his grandmother often warned him that it was often dangerous to do anything when a full moon was out. But that didn't stop him from admiring its beauty from time to time. It reminded him of happier things, and not frightening visions that plague his dreams.

More importantly, the moon reminded him of his mother.

Yvaine loved the moon as much as he did. Every night during a full moon, she would allow him to stay up just a little bit longer so they could gaze at it together, and always, without fail, she would sing him a lullaby to sleep. It never failed to lull him into a deep slumber, and he remembered those nights when she sang to him we’re always nights where he would never have nightmares. Oh, how Vegeta missed her. That night robbed him of so much. His father lost a woman he loved so much, and he and his brothers lost a beloved mother. The pain was still so fresh in his mind, even after 12 years have passed. What would she think of him now if she was still alive? She would have supported him fully when he came out. Be so proud of him when he finished his Initiation without a hitch. She would be every bit the mother he envisioned she would be.

He leaned forward, arms resting on the windowsill as he laid his head on them. Without much thought, Vegeta began to hum the lullaby his mother sang to him often. The melody was so soothing to him, even now as he was becoming 21 years of age. Before long, Vegeta felt the pull of sleep beckoning him as he let out a yawn. It was probably late by now, and everyone else had been fast asleep. Everywhere, the world was a hush, except for the sound of crickets echoing through the forest. Rubbing his eyes, he made a silent goodbye to the moon as he closed the windows, easing himself into the bedsheets. He fell asleep not long after.

That night, perhaps because of the lullaby he sang to himself, or because of the moon, no nightmares came to haunt his subconscious. He slept peacefully for the first time in many weeks.

* * *

The sun shone gently through the trees that morning, the mists from last night beginning to clear away. Already Vegeta was up, fresh and ready to go on his Hunt. When Yamcha walked into the living room, he saw the Hunter already set, polishing his shotgun diligently as his coffee was still steaming from his mug, fresh and hot.

“Morning,” Yamcha greeted. Vegeta looked up and nodded.

“Morning.”

“Where’s Baba?”

“In the kitchen. She said she wanted us to have a 'breakfast of champions' before we go.”

Yamcha blinked. “We?”

The Hunter let out a sigh, almost impatient. “Yes. We. Baba said she'd Bless us but only if we both go and hunt together.” He put down his shotgun, turning to the Lycan. “I hope you realize this is very unprecedented. You and I are going to have to go and hunt somewhere where the Hunters won't gather so much.”

“Sure that's not dangerous for you?” Yamcha asked, sitting down adjacent to him.

“I’d rather people not see me hunt together with you. That would raise a lot of questions I'm not ready to answer just yet.”

At this, Yamcha shrugged. “Okay,” he said. “You uh… you okay with this?”

Vegeta took a sip of his coffee. “I trust Baba. I'm not sure _why_ she even made this arrangement, but I'm not gonna question her decisions. If that’s the best for us, then so be it.” He looked at Yamcha. “But that doesn't mean my guard will be down. Remember – you try anything funny, you answer to my gun.”

“Mmmmmm. Loud and clear, boss.” Vegeta really was a handful to deal with. Still, Yamcha perked up at the idea of hunting with someone else. He never had partners to hunt with before. Most others tend to avoid him when they could, so this was quite a positive turn of events for him.

Baba came into the living room, and Vegeta was right – she _did_ prepare a 'breakfast of champions' for the two: four thick slices of buttered bread topped with soft boiled egg, a heap of hash browns, more bacon strips than Yamcha could count and two large bowls of oatmeal topped with fresh berries. “Here you go, dears,” she said, using her magic to set the table, the plates and bowls floating gently onto the surface before the two of them. “Eat up. You'll be needing all that energy before you go.”

Yamcha needed no second invitation. Almost immediately he wolfed down the oatmeal, stopping to take a bite off a bacon, or scarfing down one of the toasts. Vegeta just looked on in a mixture of fascination and some disgust. Yamcha ate as if he hadn’t eaten for a week. Was he always this hungry in the morning? Quietly Vegeta ate his breakfast, taking his time to chew his food, but his appetite was also impressive, and by the time the both of them were done there was barely anything left in their plate.

“Thank you, Baba,” said Vegeta, “that really hits the spot.”

“Yeah, that was so good!” said Yamcha, patting his stomach. “I feel like I can just take on anything now!”

Baba only chuckled. “Now now, don't get ahead of yourselves.” With a sweeping gesture, Baba made a silver tiffin wrapped in cloth appear out of thin air, and let it land softly in front of Vegeta. “Your lunch. I made enough for you to share with Yamcha. Now be careful out there, and come back before dusk hits.”

“Okay,” said Vegeta, grabbing the tiffin by the handle. Before he got up to leave, he reached for Baba's hand, holding it with both of his and kissing it. “Blessings to you, Baba.”

“A prosperous Hunt you both shall get, and may the Shepherd guide the two of you in your journey,” Baba replied, stroking his hair. “Now go with my fullest Blessing, my dear.”

With a smile, Vegeta got up, shotgun in one hand and tiffin in the other, with Yamcha bowing to Baba and following behind him. Baba was alone now.

“I hope those two get along,” she mused to herself. “Would be a shame if they don't.”

* * *

All morning, Yamcha and Vegeta trudged through the forest, searching for any kind of beast they could find. So far, nothing had came up – no footprint, no sound. That was no concern for Vegeta, of course. Hunting takes time and the more patient you were, the better rewards you'll reap.

But Yamcha had other ideas. The fact that he couldn't _smell_ anything so far made him worry – normally he could catch a whiff of a dragon's scent (it smells like molten metal) or even a tiny cureslime (smells like berries), but so far there was nothing.

“Something’s funny here,” he commented.

“It takes a while before you can spot a beast. Just be patient,” Vegeta replied, cocking his shotgun in anticipation. “What made you think something's off?”

“I can't smell anything.”

Vegeta looked at him puzzlingly. “You can smell them?”

“Uh-huh,” Yamcha said, looking around. “Normally I can like…smell them from a mile away. It's not hard for me to detect anything. But today there's just nothing. Are you sure this is a good spot to hunt?”

Vegeta stayed silent, scanning the area. There was nothing but dense forest before them, more sheltered from the sun than anywhere else. The sun’s rays could only peek through lush canopies, illuminating their faces a little. He eased his gun down. “Maybe you're right. We should head somewhere else, see if –“

“Hang on,” said Yamcha. He tilted his head upwards, as if taking a whiff off something. “I think I can smell something.”

“Where?”

Yamcha did not hesitate to point to the direction of the odour, southwest from where they were standing. “Over there. Something might be lurking over there.”

“Then proceed with caution. Watch where you step, we don't want to scare or piss it off,” said Vegeta, hunching a little and stepping forward very quietly to the direction of where Yamcha was pointing, with the Lycan following suit.

Sure enough, as soon as they stepped forward, there it was: a large blue dragon, eating away at what seemed like a dead moose. Its blue scales glimmered softly in what little sun they could catch, and it was so engrossed in eating that it didn't notice the two of them.

Vegeta brought his shotgun up to the level of his eyes, ready to shoot it. A blue dragon was exactly what he needed – kill it and he wouldn't need to hunt anything any more for the week; those scales could be sold for a lot of cash, that meat would be good to last him for at least 6 months…

Unfortunately just as he was about to pull the trigger, Yamcha let out a loud “ah-CHOO!”

The dragon looked up abruptly, its eyes glowing like molten lava, head turning to the direction of the sudden sound. “Hide!” Vegeta admonished, pushing Yamcha’s head lower into the brush, the two of them almost lying on the ground so as not to alert the dragon of their presence.

They waited. It felt like hours, and both of them could feel the tension in the air. Vegeta took a peek through the bushes time and again to ensure the dragon wasn’t still looking at their direction. Once or twice, the dragon moved, dangerously close to their location, as if trying to sniff them out. But if Vegeta learned anything during his tenure as a Hunter, it was that blue dragons were stupid and usually wouldn’t be able to figure out whether something was prey or predator unless it was right in front of them, so as per his father’s advice, hiding was always a good option – for even though they were colossally stupid, they were also colossally deadly, and can outrun you faster than a running deer once it caught sight of you. After what seemed like a full hour of hiding, they began hearing the dragon slink away into the darkness of the forest, far away from them.

Vegeta let out a sigh of relief, then proceeded to smack Yamcha upside the head. “You _idiot!_ ” he hissed. “Didn’t anyone teach you anything about hunting basics?”

“I couldn’t help it!” Yamcha protested.

“Your ‘I couldn’t help it’ has killed more Hunters than you could even count!” Vegeta got up, brushing off bits of branch and grass from his body. “Thanks to you, I lost a pretty good hunt, and we both could have been killed! How is it that you’re about my age but know _nothing_ about hunting!?”

“I…” Yamcha looked down, his hand rubbing the nape of his neck. “This is kind of my first time.”

Vegeta blinked, looking at him incredulously. “You’ve never hunted anything before?” Yamcha only nodded.

“Great. Just great,” said Vegeta, putting his hands on his hips and pacing around in frustration. “I almost got killed, lost a big game, and now I have to _babysit_ some grown man baby who doesn’t even know how to hunt anything? What else is going to happen to me after this? Get nearly killed again by a –“

“Vegeta?”

“Shut up! This is all your fault! If you just kept your goddamn sneeze in we would have –“

“Vegeta.”

“Don’t interrupt me! You should have just –“

“Vegeta! Get away!”

Before Vegeta could say anything, Yamcha lunged forward to knock the Hunter out of the way, just in the nick of time before the blue dragon could sink its teeth into him. Rolling away from the impact, the two of them got up just in time to dodge another incoming bite from the dragon.

Without hesitation Vegeta reached for his shotgun and loaded it, keeping a distance away from the rampaging beast. He needed to take it down now or else someone would end up dragging both their bodies out of this forest by the time the Hunt ends. But the dragon proved to be every bit the formidable beast that his father often warned him about, lunging and snapping after him every time.

_I can’t get a clean shot,_ he thought, regaining his footing. Across them, Yamcha was…well, he wasn’t sure what the hell Yamcha was doing. He seemed to be crouching on all fours, but before Vegeta could even see anything, he got knocked away by the dragon’s tail, the sheer force of it sending him flying to a nearby tree.

But Vegeta didn’t feel any incoming impact. In fact, when he tried to get up on his feet, he realized he was _behind_ the tree that he was supposed to have crashed on, not somehow lying in front of it. But he didn’t have much time to process what just happened – at least he was out of the dragon’s range, so he had time to –

Yamcha! Shoot, the dragon was going to target him next! Taking his shotgun again, he moved swiftly back to where they were and was ready to aim, but as he reached to the area, he was greeted with a frankly bizarre sight. Before him, toe to toe with the dragon, was a giant black wolf about as large as it was. The wolf was in a mighty scuffle with the dragon, snapping at it as it tried to worm its body away from the dragon’s jaws. It was a sight that Vegeta hadn’t seen in all his life, but he knew he had to act fast. The wolf howled as the dragon managed to clamp its jaws around its hind leg, and in return, it made for the dragon’s back, sinking its teeth deeply despite it being covered in hard scales.

The wolf gave Vegeta an opening. As it continued to struggle with the dragon, he aimed his gun steadily, keeping away from the dragon’s sight lest it tried to go after him again. Without another second to spare, he pulled the trigger, the recoil knocking him backward a little as the bullet flew through the air and hit the dragon squarely between the eyes, exploding on impact. The dragon let out a roar, letting go of the wolf’s leg as it did, prompting Vegeta to shoot several more rounds, all aimed at its head. Before long, the dragon let out a low rumble, and collapsed to the ground, its eyes rolling into the back of its head as it slumped, dead at last.

Vegeta let out a sigh, moving from the brush he was keeping his position from as he inspected the dragon. Brandishing out a sharp dagger from one of his garter bags strapped on his thighs, he moved to the dragon’s neck, and with skilled hands cut a clean slit through it. It was a way to ensure a beast was truly dead, a trick he learned hunting with some of the older Hunters. As blood seeped from the open gash, he looked back up to inspect the wolf. If it wasn’t too badly injured, it might be trouble for him. He hoped Yamcha actually made it through all of this; perhaps he ran away from the commotion as soon as the large wolf appeared…

To his surprise, the wolf was gone, and in its place was Yamcha. He seemed worse for wear, trying to stop the bleeding from the wound on his leg. Wait, why was his leg bleeding? Immediately he rushed to Yamcha, bending down to inspect the wound. It looked awful- as if it was gnawed on. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“N-nasty bite. That dragon really had some powerful jaws…” Yamcha answered, laughing shakily. “Man, I really should've been…more careful…”

“How did the dragon manage to even get you? You were away from its line of sight, weren't you?”

But Yamcha wasn't listening. He was trying very hard to remain conscious, and was losing way too much blood to respond to Vegeta. Before he knew it, he slumped onto the ground, completely unconscious. It sent Vegeta into a panic – no, he couldn't let this guy die right now! Hastily he took off his cloak and wrapped it around the Lycan's wound as best as he could.

“Please, please be alright,” said Vegeta, hoisting the unconscious Lycan over his shoulders, and made his way back to Baba. The dragon could wait. He needed to send him to Baba first before he can do anything else.

* * *

It was only just the first day and already he had a casualty. He surmised that Yamcha might not be able to hunt for the rest of the season, and would need to be nursed back to health. He should have been more watchful. If he hadn't been so preoccupied by trying to kill the dragon, Yamcha wouldn't have been hurt.

The trek back to Baba's house fortunately didn't take too long, thanks to a shortcut that was already highlighted as his Path. Baba must have known what happened, and was making it easier for him to come back. As soon as he reached the house, Vegeta rushed to open the door. Baba was already waiting for him in the living room, worry etched in her features.

“Bring him here,” she said urgently, ushering Vegeta in. “Lay him on the floor now. I need to see how bad the wound is.” Heeding her order, Vegeta gently laid Yamcha down onto the floor, propping his head onto one of the pillows. Baba removed the cloak around his wound, clicking her tongue once she took a look at the wound.

“Smashed bone and torn flesh,” she remarked. “Terrible wound indeed. You should thank him when this is over. He saved you from terrible peril.”

“Huh?” But Vegeta's questioning gaze was ignored, and Baba went to work straight away. Chanting a magic spell, she put her hands onto the bloody wound, and continued on chanting. Within seconds, a green, brilliant light began to emit from her hands and engulfed the entire wound, and Vegeta could see the bone and muscle repairing themselves by the sheet force of Baba's magic. Slowly every sinew and shard attached themselves to where they belong, like pieces of a puzzle, and before long, the skin began to attach as though someone was sewing it shut. The healing was finished before Vegeta even knew it.

“There,” she said, wiping her hands. “Let him rest. You should rest too, that must have been quite the right you had to contend.”

“I’ll rest when I get the dragon corpse back,” said Vegeta, rising up. “Don’t worry, I won't hunt for anything else. Just going to bring that dragon back here and then call it a day.”

“Alright then, but you be careful now,” said Baba, watching Vegeta make his way to the door and disappear back into the forest. She turned back to observe Yamcha, who seemed to be in a peaceful sleep. She sighed. He truly was inexperienced. But still, she knew what the spirits have told her. He saved Vegeta's life, whether Vegeta realized it or not. At least that was a good first step.

* * *

Vegeta was true to his word. Within the next two hours, he was back, the dragon's corpse trailing behind him as he dragged his prize back home by the tail, his gun and the tiffin on the other hand. Hunters were gifted with superhuman strength – a dragon this size wasn't much of a problem for someone of Vegeta's stature. He let the dragon's tail drop to the ground with an echoing thump before he went back up to the house, wanting to put the tiffin and gun away before he began the processing of the dragon's meat and scales.

He was greeted by a sleepy Yamcha, who just woke up from what was most certainly a pleasant slumber. His leg was completely fine now thanks to Baba, and he only limped just a little. “Hey,” he said.

“Hey.”

“Uh…thanks for bringing me back here,” said Yamcha, stepping aside to let Vegeta enter the house. “I could've been a goner if you didn't.”

Vegeta only nodded. “I couldn’t let you die there. It would be…bad of me if I did.” He sat down onto the living room floor, sighing. “Hey, have you eaten?” he then asked, setting the tiffin onto the table. “We haven't touched our lunch yet. I'm not gonna go hunting after this.”

“No, I haven’t – well, if you don’t mind me joining you that is.”

“I don’t.” He began setting the table wordlessly, rising just to grab some plates from the kitchen before coming back to sit opposite of Yamcha, serving the food.

“That was… cool by the way,” said Yamcha, graciously accepting the plate being offered to him.

“What was?”

“Just now, when you were knocked away by the dragon. You just… you didn’t even crash against the tree. You just, like, _passed_ through it.” Yamcha made a sweeping gesture with his hand as if demonstrating how it happened. “Like how ghosts pass through walls. How did you do that?”

Vegeta only blinked. Ghosted through the tree? That might explain how he ended up behind it and not crumpling on the ground with broken bones and sore muscles. But still, it sounded too impossible to be true. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’m not so sure I even can believe what you said.”

“Suppose we could try it now. Let’s see…uh…” Yamcha looked around, then reached for one of the pillows on the floor, then thrusted it to Vegeta’s face. “How about this one? Maybe like…try putting your hand through this.”

“I’m not sure I could –“

“Never know unless you try! Try concentrating on it. Like, really will yourself to let your hand pass through.”

Vegeta felt like all of this was stupid, but Yamcha had enough to feel bad about, he should at least humour him to cheer him up. So, concentrating intently at the pillow, he held his hand up, facing it, then jerked it forward with all his might, surmising that the worst that could happen was that his hand would just pierce through that pillow messily and cause bits of cotton to fly about the room.

To his surprise – and Yamcha’s delight – his hand ghosted through it. Not a single bit of damage was done to the pillow, but his hand went through the material without any problem at all. Startled, Vegeta withdrew his hand, staring at it before he tried again, more hesitantly this time. Again, he saw his hand pass through the pillow with ease, as if it was just an apparition without form.

“See! I told you, you could do it!” said Yamcha gleefully. “That’s amazing! How did you even do that?”

The Hunter only shook his head in disbelief, but a smile was starting to form on his lips. “I don’t know. But it…it really is something, you’re right about that.” He looked up at Yamcha, who was looking at him with so much wonder and curiosity, it was kind of cute. He might be a wolf man, but he sure looked and acted like a puppy…

It all suddenly clicked for Vegeta. Of course, why was he so _stupid_? It was _Yamcha –_ Yamcha was the big black wolf that fought against the dragon! It made sense now why Yamcha’s leg was severely injured, it was because the dragon had bitten hard into the wolf’s leg during the scuffle!

Again, Vegeta felt guilty. He had been so harsh on this man, and he literally had saved his life from danger.

“Thank you for saving me,” he said, finally.

“Come again?”

“That wolf in the forest just now. That… uh. Big wolf,” said Vegeta. “That was you, wasn’t it?”

Yamcha laughed sheepishly in response. “Haha… yeah that was me. I couldn’t think of another way to get us both out of trouble, so I figured…maybe I could just transform. That way me and that dragon would be equal in strength.” He looked down at his healing leg. “But I guess I got careless. If you had been a little late, I probably would have died.”

“I know,” said Vegeta. He then bowed to Yamcha. “I’m sorry for being harsh on you. You saved my life, but I treated you horribly.”

“Ah, please don’t – don’t do that,” Yamcha replied, flustered by Vegeta’s sudden gesture. “I didn’t blame you at all!” This was very embarrassing for him – he didn’t mean to make Vegeta feel bad about this! He understood why Vegeta was harsh on him. Almost reminded him of his old man. Almost…

“Look, uh…” Yamcha began, rubbing the back of his neck. “What if…you teach me how to hunt, and then we’ll call it even? How does that sound to you?”

Vegeta looked up, and for the first time, Yamcha saw him smile – and for some reason his heart stopped. Vegeta wasn’t what you would call beautiful by a long shot, but the smile he gave him in return was so _radiant_ that he felt as if he was just awarded with something so precious, so _invaluable –_ and he wanted to do nothing more but protect that smile at all costs.

That was stupid – why was he feeling like that about someone he only knew for just two days? _Wake up, Yamcha,_ he admonished to himself.

“Yamcha?”

The wolf shook away the thoughts from his head and looked at Vegeta. “Yes?”

“I said I’ll teach you. To…make up for it.” Vegeta gestured towards the food before them. “Let’s just finish this, okay? I don’t want Baba to come back home and see that we didn’t eat any of her cooking, she’d be upset if we just leave it like this.”

The rest of the meal was spent in silence. But it was clear that both were beginning to grow warmer towards each other.

* * *

Over the course of the season, Vegeta dedicated most of his time teaching Yamcha to hunt as well as making hunts of his own. He wasn't sure how Lycans hunt, but he figured they probably were a bit more hands-on than Hunters were. He lent Yamcha his dagger to start with. To his relief, Yamcha was a quick learner, and very adaptable – perhaps it was because of his Lycan instinct that allowed him to be more efficient. Sometimes he would even transform to hunt prey larger than the two of them. Every time they came home to Baba with several kills for the day, Baba smiled as though she was happy about something.

By the time the Hunt was beginning to end, Yamcha was adept at hunting. He gave Vegeta his dagger back, no longer needing it and relied solely on his own natural instincts now. Vegeta was a little relieved, but somehow he felt kind of sad too. He really was beginning to warm up to the Lycan – he was so charming and so friendly, it was hard to be angry at him.

However, he felt uneasy. Despite Yamcha's good progress, they weren't getting as many kills as they expected to. Where beasts and monsters were in abundance, now they were scarce at best, and at worst completely non-existent. It made Vegeta worry – this was unprecedented. Did they migrate? Did the Hunters somehow managed to overhunt them? These thoughts plagued his mind with each passing day as he continued on with the Hunt.

He found his answer on the last night of the Hunt. Coming home with only two bunicorns that night, both he and Yamcha were exhausted. Baba greeted them as usual, with a smile on her face. Every day, she was always smiling about something, but Vegeta couldn’t guess why. She ushered them into the house for dinner, as always, and the three of them cleaned up before joining her on the living room floor for a hearty meal of dragon stew.

Yamcha retreated first. He was more exhausted than usual, and bade Vegeta and Baba goodnight before retreating to his room. That left behind only grandmother and grandson.

“The dishes will clean after themselves,” said Baba, making a gesture and sending the dirty dishes to the kitchen sink using her magic. Efficient as always, but sometimes Vegeta wondered if Baba had ever done any kind of housework in her life at all. Not that he would question it of course. “Be a dear and fix us some tea, would you?”

“Okay,” said Vegeta, rising up and making his way to the kitchen. He filled up the kettle with water, silently contemplating the events that have happened this week as he set the now full kettle onto the stovetop. As the dishes in the sink washed themselves, Baba joined Vegeta in the kitchen, sitting down on one of the chairs and staring straight past him, as though in deep thought. He joined her soon after.

At first there was silence. The kettle of water was quietly boiling away on the stove, and aside from the gentle buzz of the lights and the sound of crickets outside in the inky darkness, they were content to just say nothing. Vegeta was already lost in thought at that point – he thought of everything that had happened that week, of the feeling of dread that grew so much which he almost forgot from all the commotion of the Hunt, and have now returned with a vengeance. He sighed, closing his eyes.

“You are worried,” said Baba.

Vegeta looked up at her in surprise. “You knew? I thought I'd save that for later –“

“Nothing ever escapes me, you know,” she replied, smiling knowingly. “Have those dreams been bothering you that much, my dear?”

He sighed. The kettle started to whistle, breaking the brief silence between them. Hastily he got up to turn off the stove, lifting the kettle away and bringing it back to the table. With practised ease he took a teapot from one of the kitchen cabinets nearest to the table, and placed two tea bags into it before pouring hot water into it. “They’re… well. They’ve really caused me to lose sleep, that’s for sure,” he said, putting in some sugar into the pot and stirring. “They’re not the kind of nightmares I had when I was a kid. In fact, the older I get, the more ambiguous they’ve become.”

Baba listened, giving some thought to what her grandson had shared. She wondered. “They came to you in symbols and strange images, yes?” she asked, as if to confirm.

“Yes,” Vegeta answered, now pouring tea into some cups and handed one to his grandmother. “Strange things. Like they’re scribblings on some cave wall. But they were moving, and every image made less sense than the next. It was like…it was like it was trying to tell me something.”

Baba took a sip of her tea. “You know… when my Daughters were beginning to have their powers awakened, they tend to have strange dreams as well. But it is puzzling indeed that your dreams are unsettling, usually their dreams were pleasant and clear as day.”

Vegeta’s eyes widened. “I have powers?”

“I thought you finding out you could pass through trees should be indicative enough that you do,” Baba said, laughing, before her eyes locked with Vegeta’s, gazing intently as if reading into his soul. “But yes, you _do_ have powers. There is so much about you that I have yet to discover.” She paused for a moment. “I have Daughters in every corner of the forest over the years, and a good number of them have gone on to have children… but not one of those children are anything like you.”

That somehow made Vegeta well up with pride. To think that he was someone special to Baba… that was the highest compliment he ever had. Nevertheless, he got flustered by it anyway, blushing as he looked away, arms crossed against his chest. “Aw Baba, you’re embarrassing me.”

“What can I say? You’re the only one in recent times so far, but my words are still true,” said Baba, laughing. “I may be old, but my memory is still strong, you know! You have to remember many things when you hold a position like mine!”

“Am I…really that special to you?”

“Without a doubt.” Baba fell silent. “Which is why… I know you are thinking it, my dear. There is something very important that I must tell you tonight. Indeed you might be the only one capable of saving this forest.”

Vegeta immediately noticed the change in atmosphere around them. From the tone of her voice and her sudden sullen expression, he could feel that feeling of dread and anxiety growing even stronger now. “Baba…?”

Baba took her time in gathering the words she needed to say. It pained her to shoulder such a heavy responsibility on her beloved grandson, someone so, so young and unknowing of the dangers that lurk in the murky future ahead of him, but this unhappy deed she must do, for the sake of the forest and for his future. “Vegeta…I must tell you. This forest is dying.”

Vegeta blinked. “What do you mean, the forest is dying?”

Baba took another sip of her tea, cold now after leaving it untouched for so long. It tasted murky on her tongue for some reason, and now she was the one who felt a sense of dread in her heart. “You know that the forest is sustained by the spirits that keep it alive. And you know that my Daughters are what keep them happy, yes? You remember these lessons that I told you when you were but a wee child?”

Vegeta thought on this for a while, and nodded.

“You see, my dear, your mother was the very last Daughter that I ever had. And now she is gone. This forest has mourned for so long and they mourn harder now that my very last Daughter has returned to the Earth. I am afraid that they can no longer stay here. They will disappear, little by little… and soon when they are gone, life in this forest will not be able to sustain itself.”

“Baba…how bad will it be if these spirits disappear?”

“Oh, my child, it will be a disaster unlike anything you have ever seen,” Baba replied, her voice grave. “First, the beasts will die, slowly, one by one. Then the trees will begin to rot, as will the growth underneath it. The other animals that live here will soon follow suit. This forest will be reduced to nothing more than a massive graveyard.” She paused, gazing at him. “You know what will happen to you if the forest is reduced to such a condition, don't you?”

Vegeta was silent. Now his feeling of dread and despair made sense. Now that he thought of it, the trees did look a little worse for wear on his way to Baba's house. “That means our livelihood as Hunters are in danger.”

“Not just the Hunters, my dear. Everyone who depends on this forest will be affected. Poor Yamcha will be affected by it too. And to think he was only just starting to hunt for himself too…”

“No, Baba – that was it. That was what my dreams were trying to tell me, wasn't it? That this forest was dying?” Vegeta asked, rising from his chair. Baba’s nod was all the confirmation he needed.

“This is part of your abilities. You are able to see the future like I do… I am only sorry you have to discover them in this way.”

“Isn’t there _anything_ we could do about it?” Vegeta asked, a sense of urgency in his tone. “You said I have powers, right? Then show me how your Daughters made the spirits happy. Show me how Mama made them –“

“Oh, you have the ability to make the spirits happy, alright,” said Baba, motioning to Vegeta to sit down and calm himself. “But not in the way your mother does. No, such things take a long time to learn, and I should have taught you that when you were a child. It would be too late by the time you learned how to do so.” Baba paused for a while, studying her grandson intently “…your father never told you?”

Vegeta looked at her, confusion etched in his features. “Told me what, Baba?”

Baba sighed. So he didn't know of the prophecy that surrounded him. She couldn't blame his father though. It was hard to do especially not after the terrible incident 12 years ago.

“My dear, a few years before your mother married your father, I foresaw what would happen to this place. I knew the forest was dying long before you were born. But because your mother was still alive back then, the process was able to be halted for a while as she was able to appease the spirits well. But I also foresaw that her time was not long in this world, and that when she would be gone, the forest will die. It was shortly before you were conceived that I had a vision…”

“A vision?”

“Your mother would give birth to a child that would bring salvation to us all. That child was to grow up and bring happiness to the spirits that would last for eons…but the only way for that child to bring such happiness…” Baba trailed off, unsure how to best tell him the details that would come next.

“That child was me, right? What is it? What do I need to do?”

The witch looked at him with a heavy heart, reaching forward to hold his hand in a comforting manner. “You must be united with a Lycan if you were to bring happiness to the spirits and ensure this forest's longevity.”

_That was it. That was why he felt so anxious._

Vegeta withdrew his hand, letting out a shaky breath. Oh no, no no no. Not now. Everything sounded so loud all of a sudden. His ears were ringing. His head was nothing but static and his heart was beating faster than he could calm it. He felt his eyes stinging with tears as he tried to bury his face into his arms. Baba cannot see this. He was panicking right in front of her and he couldn't stop it.

He felt a hand touch his back, soothingly running along his spine. “Breathe,” he hears Baba's voice say gently. “It’s okay, Vegeta. It's okay. You’re safe.” Shaking, he drew in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. He did this for a couple more times, and felt the tension ebb away with every breath. Tears were streaming down his face now, and he only noticed when he touched his cheek. He turned to Baba, who wordlessly wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I… I can’t do it, Baba,” he said finally. “I can't.”

Baba nodded understandingly. “Oh my poor child, I am so sorry,” she said softly, running her fingers through his hair. “I did not anticipate that this would be too much to bear on you.”

“How could this be? I – I can't be united with a Lycan, that goes against everything I've ever grown up with!” He looked at her. “Is… is that why you're always so happy seeing me and Yamcha together? Is that what this is all about?”

“Vegeta…”

“Baba, I almost _killed_ him! I know he was trying to save me, but because of me…he nearly died.” He wiped away the tears from his eyes. “Even if I could accept it… how could I ever be with him when I've been nothing but cruel to him?”

The witch remained silent, gently caressing her grandson's cheeks to wipe the tears from his face. “But you've been treating him quite well these days, haven't you?”

Vegeta pondered this for a moment, and nodded.

“I'm not asking you to accept him _now_ , my dear. I want you to think about it. Whatever your answer is, I will support you either way.” She pulled him into another hug, running her fingers through his hair. He smelled so much like her last Daughter, it almost felt as though she was holding Yvaine in her arms once again. “I know it seems like a tough decision to make, but I still want you to choose your own happiness.”

“But I don't have much of a choice, do I?” said Vegeta quietly.

Poor Baba was unable to answer.

* * *

_The jumble of images came to him again in a dream. The same images, as always – a serpent slithering across the forest, with several swords stuck on its back, and yet it continued to slither still, until it reached a clearing. Then, it disappeared, to be replaced with images of wolves dancing around what seemed to be unnamed gravestones, howling underneath a red moon._

_Red moon rising, hunter take warning._

_The wolves disappeared into mist, clearing to reveal cold, snow-covered ground, dotted with splotches of red. Where the gravestones are, there was a body._

_He shuddered._

_That was his body._

* * *

The next morning, Baba had both Vegeta and Yamcha ready to go home. They both agreed to split the blue dragon between them, as Vegeta surmised he wouldn't need so much considering how many scales he had already gotten from the beast. The cumulative result of his Hunt was reflected by the amount of meat stacked, wrapped in parchment paper and leaves, onto a wheelbarrow. Just looking at it made him feel awful – that was really just all there was for his Hunt this time.

Yamcha simply carried his own game by hand, not really caring about how the stench of meat would stick on his jacket. He'd wash it later, of course. Saying their farewells to Baba, they both began to trek back to their respective homes, walking together before they were to part at some point along the way.

They both said nothing. Vegeta wasn't even sure what to say. The information Baba gave him last night was enough to make things very awkward between them, but Yamcha didn’t need to know that of course. There was also that dream…but he tried not to think about it too much.

He must have spent the entire time brooding, because at one point Yamcha cleared his throat, dissipating all thoughts he had. “What is it?” Vegeta asked.

“Uhm. We're here,” said Yamcha. Vegeta looked around to see that they had reached the point where they would both part ways. Somehow, he felt sad about it.

“I…guess this is goodbye,” said Yamcha, putting down his portions of meat and wiped his hands down against his pants. “It’s been nice, this entire week. Thank you for putting up with me.”

“…same to you,” Vegeta replied, turning to face him. “You’re not so bad.”

“So are you. I mean, you're always good and all but –” Yamcha stopped himself. “We’ll probably never see each other again after this, but I just want to say...thanks for being my friend. Even if it’s just one week.” He then extended his hand towards Vegeta, initiating a handshake.

He wasn't really expecting Vegeta to take his hand, but that was exactly what he did. His hand felt so warm and so small against his own, and he was reluctant to let it go. Nodding, Yamcha picked up his parcels again and turned towards his own Path, not really wanting to look at Vegeta lest it hurt him more.

But just a few steps away, Vegeta called out to him. “Yamcha.”

The Lycan turned around. “Yes?”

Vegeta found it hard to form any words, and he sat in silence for a short while before he smiled again at him, that beautiful smile that made Yamcha feel so happy.

“I hope to see you again.”


End file.
